If deterrents fail, ready to neutralise threats from enemy: IAF Chief

The IAF chief referred to the recent disengagement along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh and said they are keeping a close watch on the Chinese activities there. The benchmark to say the situation on LAC is normal would be to return to status quo ante and complete withdrawal from all the points, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari added.
IAF chief VR Chaudhari_ANI

IAF chief VR Chaudhari

Photo : ANI
New Delhi: Indian Air Force Chief, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on Tuesday asserted that it is crucial to have a strong military so that threats to national security can be tackled using deterrents. If these deterrents fail, then the only option is to neutralise the threats, said the IAF chief ahead of the Air Force Day on October 8 (Saturday).
Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari told a press conference that the battlefields of tomorrow are undergoing tremendous change and technology is playing a very important role. He assured that the Indian Air Force is ready for such a future and to secure the borders.
“As the battlefield of tomorrow transforms and becomes more technology-driven, we too are innovating to stay ahead of the curve. I want to assure the citizens of the country that the IAF is ready to take on the future and we'll continue to touch the sky with glory,” the IAF Chief said, adding “we continue to be operationally deployed and ever vigilant.”
“Recent events in the global landscape have clearly indicated that the presence of a strong military is imperative to ward off threats via deterrents and if deterrents fail, to neutralise them. IAF will continue to remain a linchpin for it,” the Air Chief Marshal added.

The benchmark for ‘normal’ LAC

The IAF chief referred to the recent disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh and said they are keeping a close watch on the Chinese activities there. Further, the armed forces have boosted the defence mechanism along the LAC, he said further.
“Disengagement has taken place in areas along the LAC. We're keeping an eye on the Chinese Air Force activities. We have increased the presence of radars and air defence networks. Appropriate non-escalators measures have been taken in time,” ACM Chaudhari said.
“The benchmark to say the situation on LAC is normal would be to return to status quo ante and complete withdrawal from all the points. We are monitoring the situation on the LAC,” he added.
He also commented on the incidents of Chinese aircraft flying close to the LAC and said that the IAF will use the Indian Army hotline to communicate with the Chinese in case of any air space violation or other issues. “Cases of air violations by China have been taken up,” he added.
The IAF Chief said their overall preparation is a continuous process irrespective of “the Chinese belligerence”. He further added that the IAF is also continuously monitoring developments in the Indo-Pacific.

Environment hostile, IAF needs 42 squadrons of fighter jets

While being actively deployed, the IAF is also expediting the operationalisation of recently inducted defence systems like Rafale and LCA fighters and the S-400 air defence system among others, the Air Chief said.
“We're looking forward to inducting LCA MK-1A, HTT-40 trainers, indigenous weapons and different radars. The LCH has been inducted into the Air Force yesterday and I'm confident that the helicopter will add teeth to the IAF's strike capability,” he stated.
“We are in sync with the government on self-reliance in defence production,” the IAF chief said, adding “we are confident that with the domestic industries stepping up, we will be able to overcome any shortfalls in spares that we've been traditionally acquiring from Ukraine and Russia”.
He further informed that one of the MiG-21 squadrons has been phased out and it has been replaced by a MiG-29 squadron in Srinagar. “The squadrons of Jaguar would start getting number plated by 2025-26 and by the middle of next decade, all squadrons of Jaguar, Mirage 2000 and MiG-29 would be phased out,” the IAF Chief informed.
IAF Vice Chief Air Marshal Sandeep Singh also spoke on the occasion and said the Air Force needs 42 squadrons of fighter jets.
“The environment around us remains hostile and there would be a requirement for 42 squadrons of fighter aircraft by the Indian Air Force. We have to see the case of China and Pakistan also. In the last many years, we have been upgrading the Su-30 with indigenous weapons like the Astra air-to-air missile and the BrahMos missiles. The sensors are also indigenous and we have been doing it indigenously,” Air Marshal Singh said.

‘Not opposed to tri-services integration’

On the issue of tri-services integration, the IAF chief said they are not opposed to it but only have reservations related to only certain structures. He added that the Indian Air Force understands the imperatives of joint planning and execution with sister forces for future wars.
“We're not opposing any process of creating theatre commands. We've certain reservations with respect to structures... We're fully supporting the integration process and the structures should be future ready, synergise the core competencies,” the IAF Chief stated on the issue of theatre command.
Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari also commented on the inclusion of females in the Agniveer scheme. “We are looking at 10 per cent females in the Agniveer scheme. We're looking at the fleets where we can use them and grow as time comes. We will accept them in the trade and fleet with an open mind,” he said.
Meanwhile, Group Captain A Rathi today informed about the Air Force Day celebrations that will be for the first time taking place outside Ghaziabad's Hindon base.
At the Air Force Day celebrations at Chandigarh's Sukhna Lake on Saturday, 74 aircraft including single-engine MiG-21 aircraft, fighters, transport planes and helicopters will take part in the Air Force Day flypast on October 8, said Group Captain Rathi.
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